1864.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
45 
results of putting his convictions in practice, as 
follows: “I have been trying for a length of 
time to practise according to my theory, by dis¬ 
posing of all ordinary cows, and supplying their 
places with others, and I am now quite satis¬ 
fied with my course. From 4 cows I have made 
and sold since April 1, 700 lbs. of butter, at 
20 cents per lb., and raised in part upon the 
milk oi the same cows, 4 fine heifer calves, 
from good stock on both sides. I call the calves 
worth at least $10 each, and the milk we gave 
to the hogs worth at least as much as the keep¬ 
ing of the calves besides the milk. One of the 
cows is now about calving, and I hope to make 
from her, before the 1st of April next, 100 lbs. 
more of butter, making in all 800 lbs. during 
the year, from 4 cows—being 200 lbs. from each 
cow. Calling the calves, as above, $10 each, 
$40; Butter, 800 lbs., 20 cents per lb., $160; 
total, $200, or $50 each. Their keeping in sum¬ 
mer was common pasture; in the month of 
April, hay, with one feed of mangel wurzels. 
Other farmers may do better with better feed.” 
Note on the Cultivation of Onions. 
Mr. L. T. Keith, of Tompkins Co., sends an 
account of his management of this crop. His 
onion patch is near his hog pen, and receives 
an abundant supply of manure from that source. 
He manures and plows in the fall, and in the 
spring gives a thorough harrowing. After rak¬ 
ing off the bed it is covered with straw, which 
is burned over. The seed is sown in rows 18 
inches apart, and the bed then receives a dres¬ 
sing of four quarts of ashes, and an equal quan¬ 
tity of hen manure, to every two rods of ground. 
This application is repeated four times before 
the onions begin to bottom to any extent. He 
reports his crop for the last year at three 
bushels of good onions to every rod of ground. 
W ater-Gaps—W ater-Gates. 
The inquiry through the columns of the Agri¬ 
culturist for a good plan for a water-gap has 
received several responses. When fordable 
Fig. 1 —DEFECTIVE WATER-GATE!. 
streams cross highways, or through fenced pas¬ 
ture grounds, any contrivance which will let 
the water pass in time of freshets, without 
washing away, and yet form a good fence 
when the stream is fordable, is called a “ water- 
gap,” or “ water-gate.” This may be arranged 
to float upon the rising tide, or being stationary, 
let the water through or over it. The float¬ 
ing gates must be so constructed as neither to 
be broken by ice nor to entangle brush or 
floating logs and trees; fixed ones can only be 
used where much ice and flood-wood do not 
occur. The first form which we give (fig. 1) is 
very simple, but faulty inasmuch as ice and 
snags would be very likely to catch in it. Very 
similar to this, is one without these defects, a 
sketch and description of which were forwarded 
by Adam Haun, of Washington Co., Illinois. It 
consists (see fig. 2) of two uprights, crotchcd at 
the top, very firmly set in the ground, and 
braced against the direction of the flow of the 
water. Between these, and lying in the crotch, 
is a pole, larger or smaller according to the 
width of the stream. Near each end a short 
section is worked down to a smaller diameter, 
so that the pole can not slip in the crotches. 
Into this pole studs are mortised, which extend 
as low as necessary. Boards are nailed upon 
these studs, upon the up-stream side, and lap¬ 
ped so as not to catch the “ drift,” whatever it 
may be. When high water comes, this hanging 
gate will float upon the stream, the pole turning 
in the crotches, which must of course be some¬ 
what higher than the floods can ever reach. 
D. M. Hays, Fayette Co., Ohio, sends the de r 
scription of one (see fig. 3) which he calls a 
Fig. 3— DOUBI.E WATER-GATE. 
“flood-gate.” He says: “My plan is the best I 
can get after long experience. If built of sound 
timber it will stand 15 years, as I have already 
tested.” It is all of hewn timber; the posts 8 
by 8 inches, and of length sufficient to rise 
above the floods, are set and braced in mud-sills 
(12 by 20 inches) not shown in the cut. The 
cross-beam, or plate, is mortised upon the posts, 
strengthened to prevent sagging, by a king-post 
(which is attached by a stirrup), and braces. 
The two gates are suspended independently, 
from the cross-beam, and are constructed on 
the same principle as the one in the second 
plan described, with respect to lap of boards, etc. 
Fig. 4 illustrates the plan used by C. G. Sie- 
wers, of Ohio. It is immovable, and is adapted 
to a brook or “ dry branch” liable to flood, after 
heavy rains. It consists of a log laid upon 
stones at a proper height above the bed of the 
brook, and against two strong posts. Upon this 
rails are laid, their ends bedded in the ground 
Fig. 4— FENCE FOR WATER GAP. 
and fastened with stones. Stakes are driven on 
the sides to prevent pigs getting through. This 
is recommended as useful in filling up ravines, 
for much drift is caught which would other¬ 
wise be washed down to a lower point, and 
the bed of the stream is thus 'gradually raised. 
The plani submitted by Mr. P. A. Betlens, 
Switzerland Co., Ind., is similar to this in ob¬ 
ject and principle, and consists of a timber (see 
fig. 5) built into two stone piers. Rails are set 
in the bottom of the stream and mortised firm¬ 
ly into or fastened against this cross-timber. 
No one kind of water-gap can be recom¬ 
mended as adapted to general use, but each of 
these kinds, and perhaps others, may be best 
under different circumstances. The hanging 
gates, unless they are quite heavy, may be 
swung by hogs so that they can get through, if 
the bed of the stream becomes nearly dry. This 
may be prevented by a stake driven on the up¬ 
Fig. 5— PERMANENT WATER FENCE. 
stream side, to prevent the gate swinging ic 
that direction, and a row of stakes to prevent 
the approach of the hogs on the same side. 
The Use of Sea-Weed- 
“Connecticut,” writes to the American Agri¬ 
culturist: “ It is principally through the use of 
the marine vegetation thrown upon our shores, 
that we can bring back to the land the riches it 
is ever pouring into the sea. From the banks 
of every rill, brook, and river, there is constant 
waste by attrition ; and from every village and 
city upon tide-water, the fat of the land is cast 
out through the gutters and sewers. It goes 
to manure the gardens of the sea, and to nour¬ 
ish a vegetation hardly less luxuriant and boun¬ 
tiful than that which grows upon the land. 
These weeds, as they are commonly called, are 
torn up by the fall and winter storms, and are 
thrown in great masses upon the shore. In higli 
tides and with favorable winds they are some¬ 
times piled so high that they remain permanent¬ 
ly. But by far the larger part are swept out to 
sea by the tides, and permanently lost to the 
land.—To the shore farmer, these weeds are a 
source of wealth not likely to be over-valued. 
They are greatly under-estimated at present, 
though much has been said of their value in 
agricultural papers, and they are used to some 
extent in every district where they are accessi¬ 
ble. Much is gathered and spread over the farms 
within five miles of tide-water, but far more 
either rots on the shore, or is swept into the 
sea again for the want of hands to gather it. 
The principal varieties used for manure are 
known as rock or blister weed, kelp or ribbon 
weed, and eel grass. In all masses of these 
weeds thrown upon the shore, will be found a 
great variety of smaller weeds, some of them 
exceedingly fine, and beautifully colored. The 
rock weed is so called from the fact that it 
grows in great abundance along rocky shores. 
It is called blister weed, from the multitude of 
air bladders that form upon it. This is justly 
regarded as the most valuable of the sea weeds 
for making manure. Where its worth is known, 
it sells readily fpr two dollars a cord, delivered 
qt tlip wharf or landing place where farmers 
coupe frpcfi a distance to purchase it. It is very 
